we have a political science professor, and danny vargas, president and ceo of the communications and marketing firm. welcome to "viewpoint," to you all. >> happy new year. >> i want to take a big picture look back at 2012, and go around and ask each of you what 2012 would be remembered for? >> my background is in politics, so i would have to go with the presidential election, barack obama being re-elected not withstanding some significant economic concerns going into the beginning of 2012, or a year ago at the end of 2011, it was clear the president would have an uphill battle. and three things struck me as interesting. super packs, the billions raised to reshape voter thinking, and particularly senate and house races, you saw a real impact -- >> in our region. >> absolutely in our region. and that was the first thing that struck me, and the second was turnout. i was among those that believed the president would get 95 or 96% of the african-american vote, and it turned out to be the same. and the same with young voters. and nobody expected the turnout to be the same with young voters